Essay: The Grand Re-opening of LA’s Amoeba Music

Tormented by a massive case of FOMO (fear of missing out), I decided to book a one day trip to Los Angeles, California for the opening day celebration of the new location of Amoeba Music — the iconic Hollywood mainstay and largest independent record store in the world. 

I arrived one hour after the doors opened. The line to get in was wrapped around the huge new apartment complex Amoeba is housed in, and beyond. At one point, our section of the line was told 700 people were in front of us. Regardless, the excitement in line was palpable. I was able to make a few acquaintances. One of them was even kind enough to give me a bottle of water, seeing that the California heat was getting to me. Another spoke with me about our shared love of Madonna, having both attended her three most recent tours. 

With a stroke of luck, I made it into Amoeba Music after four hours in line. The new store was a sight to behold. The massive space was only slightly smaller than the old location, and with creative floor planning, Amoeba fit almost every item back in. From novelties to posters to vinyl, CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays, the store was packed with something for everyone. 

Making my way through the entire store, I couldn’t help but notice how many safety measures were in place due to COVID-19. Everyone wore masks, social distanced and only a certain number of people were let in at a time; I was told that number was even lower than the capacity the government would allow. Amoeba Music took our health seriously and it showed. 

They also took our passion for music seriously, actively stocking new arrivals and gems within the CD and vinyl bins. I was able to get my husband Jake several CD and vinyl items from his favorite band Disturbed, and a Jack Skellington mask from Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. 

A real shocker came when I found an issue of Madonna’s old fan club magazine, Icon. The cover featured Madonna behind the wheel of a swanky car, and was recently the inspiration behind Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia album cover. A few Cher and Miley Cyrus items later, it was time to check out. 

At checkout, I saw a huge Desperately Seeking Susan poster on the wall — for an amazing price. I added it to my order and framed it as soon as I got home in Minneapolis. I also received a commemorative poster for attending opening day. All in all, being a part of this historic day was well worth any price I paid. The memories will stay with me forever.